High Court pulls up city government for inaction against erring private schools

The Delhi High Court on Monday pulled up the city government for not taking actions against erring private schools for not providing information regarding the facilities available for children with special needs (CWSN) and the number of such kids admitted in nursery classes.

A bench of justices S Ravindra Bhat and Vipin Sanghi asked the Directorate of Education (DoE) to conduct "zone- wise" inspection of private unaided schools to ascertain the facilities for CWSN.

Perusing DoE's recent affidavit, it noted, "Only a few private unaided schools furnished the information sought with respect to admission of CWSN and facilities there for them." "In our opinion, it (affidavit) does not give sufficient details with respect to extent of facilities in concerned schools," the bench said and directed the Delhi government to "ensure that all information is made available in time-bound manner and issue directions for the same".

"It is to be supplemented by zone-wise inspection in uniform manner to collect information on the facilities available in the schools," the court said. "Inspect the schools not giving information and take action against them," it further said.

The bench was also not pleased with the Delhi government's submission that any CWSN not admitted so far in the current academic year will be admitted if the department gets the data. "That is not the way to go about this," the court said in response and added, "You should be prepared, so that you are better equipped for 2015."

It also suggested involving the Department of Women and Child Development (WCD) to work out schemes, grants or scholarships for CWSN and said the official concerned be present before the court on the next date of hearing.

The Delhi government assured the court that it would comply with all of its directions for the next academic year and added that a nodal officer has already been appointed. It also told that court that it has appointed 212 special educators in government schools and besides them, 114 have been employed by private unaided schools. The information was provided pursuant to the court asking for the same on July 16.